I'm not going to a hagwon, but maybe I can help you out. I applied to numerous uiniversity postings beginning in December and was offered a job eventually. That was about it. I wasn't in Korea. They didn't offer upfront airfare, as is the case with many or most university, but they do reimburse 50% (or 100% one-way). I suspect that when they saw I was willing to pay my own way over here they felt more confident that I wouldn't just bail out at the first sign of trouble. They also liked that I did a little research (eg. bothered to find out where they were in Korea, etc.).

There's a few schools that hire directly. I know for sure that JAFLI in Suwon hires directly. The guy was really nice when we met for the interview. But I think he lost interest in me as an employee, he gave me some flack about plane ticket issues, I gave up trying to work there.

I don't think there is a best way to do that, it's pretty much a crap shoot.

Friends and personal contacts- IMO it's the only way to get a really decent gig in Korea, and unless you have a friend already in Korea at a good school the only way to get those is to be here.

That's why you'll always see the 'My school sucks'! posts and you'll almost never see the 'My school is great and hiring right now!' ones. Futhermore, the good ones don't advertise much- they don't need to. For me it took a over a year to get into the school I knew was 'the one' for me. When I was ready they weren't hiring, and when they were hiring, I was already in a contract. In the end I had to take a bit of a gamble and resign (not re-sign), hoping the transition would go smoothly (letter of release, new visa, etc.). Then I had 3&1/2 years of ups and downs, but on the whole pretty damned good. Lived comfortably, fell in love, saved up a bundle without even trying.

That's why I don't think much of the "I've been here almost a year and when I'm done I'm outta here!" kind of attitude (but I grant you the place can grind you down, and for some people enough is enough). I really think if you want to make it in Korea you have to plan for at least 2 years, and probably take some hard knocks in your first year. But during that time instead of getting falling down drunk you should be learning the ropes, the ins and outs of 'the system', and trying to figure out how/where to get a decent job for the second year.

I know this all sounds like 'pie-in-the-sky' from the perspective of being in Korea for 7 months in a crappy job- believe me, I've been there too. I think too many people go to Korea with unrealistic expectations such as "I'll have a blast in a foreign country and pay off all my student loans in a year, and how hard could teaching English really be anyway? I already speak it!" and quickly slide downhill when it becomes obvious that for most people it just ain't gonna happen that way.

I know I'm going to hear from the "Only losers stay in Korea" crowd, but I guess I should add that I'd already been around the world before coming to Korea. I guess if I hadn't I probably would've wanted to move on and see other places too.

But back to the orginal question- I'd definitely do all the regular stuff like apply to every ad that looks remotely promising (you can always attempt to negotiate for a better deal than what they've posted and you can always say 'no') and post job wanted info on the appropriate boards- I just wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the dream job that way...

So if newbies often get the arse jobs during their first year, what would you all say is the normal wage these days for first-timers? Lots of people say "settle for nothing less than 2.0 million Won", but is that realistic? Is the "minimum wage" of 1.8 million more common for newbies, even these days?

I don't think any job out there is going to be "perfect"... Most people who have decent positions in Korea have been here a while and have put in their time and energy into getting the experience that employers want... Is it any different in the West?? More often than not, your skills, experience, and training will correlate with the quality of your job (pay, conditions, benefits)...

I think alot of it is up to you when you're in Korea... During your stay in Korea do you make extra effort to network with different people? Do you keep your skills up to date (review grammar, writing skills, etc..)?? Have you considered certification??? Have you tried to learn a little bit of Korean??? Do you keep an eye out for potential opportunities that could benefit you later????

Yeah, some (a very small minority) people get lucky and find the job of their dreams for their first jobs in Korea..., but the majority of successful teachers work hard and steady and find the jobs they want..

If a hagwon makes first contact with you through a Western teacher (*not* the one you're replacing) -- I would advise that you go with that outfit. That means there are good, trusting relationships between management and at least one Western teacher. This means there is a person to whom you can talk when things go wrong, someone who understands your language, culture and (hopefully) viewpoint. It's not a 100% guarantee of a good situation, of course, but it's a Very Good Sign. Unfortunately, such schools are hard to find.

I dunno, it could also mean the foreigner is being given incentive to say things about the school. I know I was told not to tell the dark side of my old hakwon when new teachers were coming in. So I told the grey side.

I'm not going to bother checking it out right now, but if I rmember correctly the quote is taken from EPIK's announced changes to their contracts, which EFL-Law has posted as a public service. A while back when it was first put up they said that they'd have to do an in-depth review but at first glance it did look kind of dodgy.

If I remember correctly they first cut the 52 week contract down to 50 in '97, and they did it unilaterally and without warning- whether you were in month 11 or month .5 of your first EPIK contract, you got shafted.

So the EPIK program is now 'bragging' that they're basically going back to obeying Korean labor law with regard to severance. Big whoop. You've gotta admire their cojones [cause you can't admire their faces- they're shoved too far up their...]